Lessons in bus etiquette!

Travel cards are a go…

Unfortunately, I don’t have a car in Spain and have no intentions of driving here (it’s scary enough as a pedestrian, let alone being a driver amongst scary traffic and also having to be mindful of pedestrians!!). So, my new (and just generally getting out and about) job requires me to go back to my student days and catch the bus! And tram! Me catching a bus in England is unheard of! My bus days were over the minute I passed my driving test, and frankly, if I didn’t have a car I’d rather walk! But here it is too far and too dangerous! And as I’ve come a few days early before my new job starts I want to do a little exploring and familiarise myself.

Here the buses are around 1.40€ for a single ticket. But there is a travel card (as one of my language exchange partners explained to me) tarjeta transporte pass, that you can buy from most places such as newsagents, shopping centres or tobacos shops. It costs 7€ and can be topped up at machines at most stops.

So, they shouldn’t have been too surprised when I asked them to accompany me to purchase one of these travel cards on account that I didn’t have a clue what I was asking for, or how to ask for it!

No swipey, no likey…

Travel card purchased and I’m ready to test it out, even if it was only two stops back to where I was staying! My friend needed to get a different bus but kindly walked to my stop with me first. We were engrossed in conversation as the bus approached, and the stop was packed – just one of my many dislikes of buses!

We quickly say our goodbyes as I know I have to be quick if I’m going to get on this bus! I manage to squeeze on through the crowd, but already wish I’d decided to walk! There’s nowhere to sit, so I stand holding onto the metal pole for dear life and brace myself for going round corners and roundabouts. As the bus pulls out of the stop everyone has found their spot and positioned themselves for the journey.

The bus is now in motion, and I can’t help but feel like I’m being stared at. I look up and opposite me, there are two girls. One with short hair and glasses, the other with short bobbed hair. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but they appear to be glaring at me! Then next to me is an elderly man looking at me over his glasses. Why do people do that? I don’t see the point in them even wearing glasses! His trousers are up to his chest, he has nothing on Simon Cowell! Why do they keep looking at me? I think to myself it must be because I’m a foreigner! I must look like I’m confused and a bit out of place! There are also two ladies standing side by side muttering loudly in Spanish who keep glancing over at me. ‘What!’ I think to myself!! The bus stops at the next stop and a teenage girl steps on.

I suddenly realise that I haven’t swiped my bus card! I’ve been told there are big fines for not doing so and inspectors step on to check quite regularly. So that’s why everyone is looking at me in a peculiar way! Do they think I’m trying to dodge my fare? Maybe they’re all waiting for an inspector to pounce on me at the next stop. I already get the feeling that travel cards are taken quite seriously here! I look out of the window. I’m too embarrassed by now to lean over and swipe my card. I’m only making 2 stops, so not too much harm done surely? At least I know what I need to do next time to prevent all these disapproving glances and stares, and somehow I don’t think I’m going to forget! Thankfully when I get to my stop there is no Spanish version of Inspector Blakey from on the buses waving his clipboard at me!